LOW-TEMPERATURE MAGNETIC AND THERMAL-PROPERTIES OF CEPDSB

Low-temperature ac and dc magnetic susceptibility, high-field magnetiz ation, and specific-heat measurements have been carried out on CePdSb. The magnetic measurements confirm the ferromagnetic transition at T(C ) = 17 K as previously reported. However, no anomaly in the specific h eat is observed at that temperature, but only the onset of the magneti c contribution, C(M)(T). The maximum of C(M)(T) is observed at T(max) = 9.7 K. The lack of a C(M)(T) jump at T(C) is discussed in terms of t he comparison of the exchange integrals between first- and second-near est magnetic neighbors. Depending on their relative values, the magnet ic structure can behave as low dimensional or incommensurate. The entr opy of the magnetic phase (Rln2) and the low density of states (gamma = 11 mJ/mol K2) excludes a Kondo-lattice character for this compound.